Bruxism in Childhood

If you have a child who grinds his or her teeth at night, you are probably already familiar with the sounds of grinding and popping noises. Nighttime teeth grinding, and clenching is known as bruxism, and it can be common in childhood. Around 3 in every 10 kids experience bruxism as a response to stress, jaw growth, malocclusion, losing teeth, and even allergies. Children will often outgrow bruxism by their teens, but it can still cause damage.

Childhood Bruxism

The first step when trying to help your child recover from and treat bruxism is to know the signs. Below are a few common symptoms of childhood bruxism:

• Grinding noises when your child is asleep
• Pain when chewing
• Complaints of headaches, ear pain, or facial pain with no apparent cause
• Worn-down, chipped, or loose teeth
• Tooth sensitivity
• Pain or tightness in the jaw with no apparent cause

The above symptoms are the most common ones, but some kids won’t have any symptoms at all. If siblings or parents don’t hear or notice teeth grinding, it may go completely unnoticed. This is why it’s important to take your child to his or her pediatric dentist every 6 months for a dental cleaning and a checkup.

If you’re concerned about your child’s orthodontic needs, please contact Lockett Orthodontics for an orthodontic evaluation. Our office is located here in Colorado Springs, Colorado.